Means for the bulk measurement of tapes from different rolls



Dec. 27, 1938. M. c. M CURRACH 2,141,248 MEA FOR THE BULK MEASUREMENT OF' TAPES FROM DIFFERENT ROLLS Filed Aug. '31, 1938 2% gay W6 BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES MEANS FOR THE BULK MEASUREMENT OF TAPES FROM DIFFERENT ROLLS Mabel O. McCurrach, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application August 31,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for the bulk handling and measurement and cutting of strip elements such as the lining tapes used in fourin-hand neckties.

One object of the invention is to provide a device or apparatus of the character described for the simultaneous handling of a large number of tapes, preparatory to the cutting operation, without the objectionable twisting and. curling which was heretofore encountered even where only one tape at a time was being handled.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a device of the type mentioned whereby necktie tapes can be handled and measured in bulk, and without entanglement even though the tapes be drawn from different rolls at the same time and while the measurement is occurring.

Another object of the invention is the production of a device of the class alluded to whereby dilferent tape strips can be measured and cut by a substantially wholly manual operation, without possibility of error in the length of the strips.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device having improved means for holding tape rolls and feeding and guiding the same in a frictionally retarded manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as set forth comprising a tape feeding unit and a tape measuring unit, these units having improved means such that many different tapes can be directly laid down in their individual paths on both units for retarded frictional engagement by the one unit, and releasable attachment'by the measuring unit.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the type mentioned having few and simple parts, and which is inexpensive to make, easy and reliable to operate, compact, durable, reliable and efficient in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in View, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed'out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a top plan view showing a device embodying the invention.

1938, Serial No. 227,777

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in front elevation thereof.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the device with the tapes wound on the measuring board in preparation for the cutting operation.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Generally referred to, it will be understood that four in hand neckties are often provided with tape strips, aside from the linings themselves. These tapes are generally cut on the bias and come in rolls, from which the tapes are taken and cut in desired lengths. The handling of the tapes has always been troublesome because they tend to twist and curl. Nor has it been possible to readily measure and cut more than one tape at a time because the tapes would often become entangled with each other. Hence this simple tape strip has been a source of annoyance in the manufacture of neckties and has frequently consumed considerable time unduly increasing the cost of the neckties. By my invention, which is now in actual use, a substantial saving is effected.

Referring in detail to the drawing, It denotes a device embodying the invention. The same may include a tape feeding unit ll, comprising a support l2 for one or more removable shafts [3 that carry a series of tape rolls I 4. Specifically, the support 12 may be in the nature of a rectangular box open at the top and having its side walls provided with holes or slots I5 to permit the shafts, loaded with the tape rolls, to be dropped in place. The tape rolls are of the conventional type and are positioned in direct side by side relation and fill up the entire space between the side walls of the box 12, so that the side walls of the latter retain the rolls in place.

The front wall I6 of the box I2, or at. least the top portion thereof, may consist of a member over which the tapes ll are fed outward. To guide the tapes and keep them separated, a row of upright elements or pins I8 are provided secured in said wall I 6. The spaces between the pins are full open at the top so that the tapes may be readily laid therein. To prevent accidental removal of the tapes from between the guide elements I8 and to frictio-nally retard the same, an endless elastic band l9 may be tensioningly engaged around the entire row of the elements I8 so as to overlie the tapes I! and to contact the latter, whereby the feeding of the tapes is retarded or regulated.

The device Hi also includes a unit 20 for the measurement, handling and cutting of the tapes and to facilitate their withdrawal from the rolls M. The unit 20 is rotatable, and is preferably adapted to be manually handled and carried. Desirably it consists of a generally rectangular member, such as a cardboard 2| whose end edges 22, 23 are parallel to the row of guide elements 88 and to the shafts l3. Extending across the board 2| is an indicator or marking 24 parallel to the edge 22 and relatively closer to the latter than to the edge 23. For easy visibility, the indicator 24 may be suitably colored as suggested by the parallel lining thereof. Alongside of the indicator 26 is a row of attachment pins 25 parallel and in proximity to the indicator and desirably located between the latter and the edge 22. Except as above described, the board 2| is free of markings or any other attachment pins and is uniform and regular therethrough. Hence the end portions of the tapes I! are readily engaged with the pins, whose free points project upward, with the extreme ends 26 of the tapes laid along the indicator 24.

The board 2| may now be manually rotated for winding the tapes thereon as shown in Fig. 4. As this winding proceeds the tapes are drawn from the rolls l3 and guided by the'elements l8, with the elastic l9 frictionally retarding them so that the winding proceeds evenly. Since the attachment pins 25 are alined with the guide spaces of the elements IS, the tapes are directly uniformly laid on the board 2i. 'Because the board is of predetermined length, it maybe used for directly measuring the length of the tapes, so that the latter may be cut in a single operation as by a scissors 21 along the indicator 24.

It will be observed that the indicator 24preferably extends beyond the row of pins 25 so as to be readily visible without concealment by the wound tapes. Besides defining the line of cutting, the indicator has the additional function of showing the starting point of the tapes. This is important for the following reason. Due to the fact that these tapes as used in neckties are often of considerable length, it is desirable for ease in handling, that the board 2| shall be only onehalf that length. Consequently the tapes may be out only at the starting face of the board. After many windings 28 have been made, the operator may easily lose count, and if she cut the tapes at the wrong side of the board some of the tapes would be only one-half the desired length. r

t will be noted that the attachment pins 25 need not be perpendicular to the board 2| but may be at any desired angle thereto. Further, these pins are so short that the tape windings may be readily placed thereover without obstruction, or the windings may be placed between the pins acting as guides.

Where a great number of the tapes are to be measured and cut in one operation, two or more series of the tape rolls [4 may be used as shown. In that case a plurality of tapes I! from alined rolls pass through a guide space at l8 and beneath the elastic l9 and are attached to a pin 25 as a unit. Thus a great number of measured and cut tapes are produced in one operation with only a few turns of the board 2 I.

The operation of the invention will now be briefly described. The tape rolls I 4 are slipped on the shafts l3, and the latter mounted in the box I2. Then the tapes are placed at their respective guides 18, and the elastic loop l9 may then be applied. Now theends of the tapes are engaged with the pins 25 and the board 2| is rotated to wind the tapes thereon, the operator counting the turns to produce the required number of tape strips. Observing the indicator 24, the operator cuts the windings therealong and readily removes the tape strips from the board and from the pins thereon.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a device which fulfills the objects of the invention and is well adapted for practical use without twisting or curling of the tapes and without requiring individual handling, measurement and cutting of the tape lengths.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for the bulk handling and measurement of lining tapes for neckties preparatory to cutting the tapes in measured lengths, including means for rotatably mounting a series of tape rolls in side by side position, and a plane member of predetermined length having means near one end for the releasable attachment of said tapes at the ends thereof, said member being rotatable for withdrawing said tapes from said rolls and for Winding the tapes on the member, the wound tapes being adapted to be out near said end of the member to provide measured lengths of the tapes, said measured lengths being removable from said means on cutting the tapes.

2. An apparatus for removing and measuring a plurality of tapes as simultaneously withdrawn from their different rolls, including means for rotatably'mounting a plurality of tape rolls in side by side relation, a generally rectangular plane member of predetermined length, said member having one face thereof provided with a transverse indicator, and releasable attaching means on said member for securing the tapes thereto at their ends, said attaching means being located adjacent to said indicator so that all the tape ends lie in a line, said member being rotatable to draw the tapes from their rolls and to wind the tapes on said member, the latter and the indicator cooperating so that the indicator is visible when the tapes are wound on the member, and said member permitting the tapes to be out along the indicator and then removed from the attaching means to thus provide a large number of tapes of predetermined length.

3. An apparatus including a box having a re-- movable shaft therein, tape rolls mounted on said shaft, a top edge portion of the box forming a support for tapes withdrawn from the rolls, a row of spaced pins on said top edge portion for guiding the tapes, an elastic loop element tensioned around said series of pins and adapted to overlie and frictionally engage the tapes, and rotatable means for gang engagement with the tapes and measurement of like lengths of the tapes.

An apparatus including a box having a removable shaft therein, tape rolls mounted on said shaft, a top edge portion of the box forming a support for tapes withdrawn from the rolls, a row of spaced pins on said top edge portion for guiding the tapes, an elastic loop element tensioned around said series of pins and adapted to overlie and frictionally engage the tapes, and rotatable means for gang engagement with the tapes and measurement of like lengths of the tapes, said means including a generally rectangular board having a straight line starting marking at one side thereof parallel to the ends of the board, spaced securing pins arranged in a row on the board parallel to said marking, the securing pins having their upper free ends pointed for individual releasable engagement with the tapes at the ends of the latter, said board being adapted to wind the tapes thereon on rotation of the board to measure lengths of the tapes according to twice the length of the board, and said marking extending laterally beyond the securing pins so as to be visible to indicate the starting side of the board for cutting of said tapes along said marking.

5. A device including a board having parallel end edges, said board having an indicator on only one side thereof intermediate of and parallel to the end edge, a row of spaced attaching pins on the board in spaced parallel relation to the indicator, said pins having upward projecting free ends for detachably engaging tapes, and said board being of predetermined length and being rotatable, whereby tapes can be attached with their ends at said indicator and then Wound on .the board and finally out along the indicator.

6. An apparatus including means for mounting a plurality of tape rolls, means having portions for guiding tapes from said rolls in separated close side by side relation to each other; a rotatable member, releasably attaching elements for the end portions of the tapes, said elements being mounted in a row on the rotatable member with the elements aligned with the guide portions, and an indicator for showing the starting point of the tapes at said elements, so that the tapes wound on said member can be cut at said indicator to provide tapes of like length, and the member having such dimension as to cause the tape length to be measured by winding the tapes on the member, said member being uniform and free of obstructions for winding the tapes thereon.

7. An apparatus including a support, a removable shaft thereon, said shaft being adapted to freely receive a series of tape rolls in direct side by side relation thereon, said support having side portions for retaining the rolls in such relation, guide means on the support for the individual tapes, the guide means having removable frictional closure means therefor engaging the tapes, and a rotatable member having releasably engaging pins for the tapes, said pins being disposed in a row parallel to the guide means and alined therewith.

8. An apparatus including a support, a shaft thereon for receiving a plurality of tape rolls, said support having a member over which the tapes are fed, a row of spaced upright pins on said member for guiding the tapes therebetween, and an elastic loop tensioningly engaged around the series of pins and arranged to overlie and retain the tapes and to frictionally engage the same.

9. An apparatus including a support, a shaft thereon for receiving a plurality of tape rolls, said support having a member over which the tapes are fed, a row of spaced upright pins on said member for guiding the tapes therebetween, and an elastic loop tensioningly engaged around the series of pins and arranged to overlie and retain the tapes and to frictionally engage the same, and a rotatable generally rectangular removable board having a single row of spaced pins parallel to the edges thereof and alined with the spaces between the pins on said support, said tapes being attachable to said pins and being wound thereon by rotation of the board to measure off required lengths of the tapes to be cut off on the board.

10. An apparatus including. a support, a shaft thereon for receiving a plurality of tape rolls, said support having a member over which the tapes are fed, a row of spaced upright pins on said member for guiding the tapes therebetween, and an elastic loop tensioningly engaged around the series of pins and arranged to overlie and retain the tapes and to frictionally engage the same, and a rotatable member having means for releasably engaging the tapes and adapted to measure off a predetermined length of the tapes on a rotation of the member.

11. An apparatus including a support, a removable shaft thereon, said shaft being adapted to freely receive a series of tape rolls in direct side by side relation thereon, said support having side portions for retaining the rolls in such relation, guide means on the support for the individual tapes, the guide means having removable frictional closure means therefor engaging the tapes, and a rotatable member having releasably engaging pins for the tapes, said pins being disposed in a row parallel to the guide means and alined therewith, said rotatable member consisting of a rectangular board which is removable and adapted to be readily manually handled.

MABEL C. MCCURRACH. 

